1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to rear view mirrors, especially rear view mirrors worn by users as an accessory.
2. Description of the Related Art
Athletes, outdoor enthusiasts and pedestrians of all kinds often share the road or track with vehicles or other people. They are offered a variety of inventions which provide some measure of a rear view, which are used to gather information about their surroundings. This information is then used to make important decisions related to their motion and or direction, which effects their level of safety.
Most of these accessories are complex, uncomfortable or unsafe. Users may be forced to make permanent or semipermanent alterations to their equipment, or rely on accessories that are cumbersome to use. In some cases, the awkward body motions, which are required to use these inventions, make the equipment ineffective or unreliable.
In efforts to create more effective means of supplying rear viewing through the use of a reflective surface, various attempts have been made. U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,944, issued to Greenlaw et al. during 1986, disclosed a way to attach a mirror to an existing accessory, such as a pair of eyeglasses or a safety helmet. A user of this invention must use accessories in combination with other equipment to obtain the desired rear view ability. This device is not suitable for users who do not use any accessories or those who do not wish to risk marking or damaging their accessories. In addition, this device usually requires the use of a rod to keep the mirror far enough away from the eye as to be useful. In the event of an accident, as in bicycling or in line skating, this rod may be in a position to cause injury to the user, especially in the area of the eye.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,160, issued to King during 1996, discloses the idea of integrating a mirror into the user's eye wear. Using this invention may inconvenience the user, as it requires semipermanent installation in eye wear, which must be purchased additionally by the user.
Still another attempt at providing rear view capability by a user is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,741, issued to De Giacomi during 1991. The reference discloses a similar solution as disclosed by King. A method of adhering a mirror device to existing lenses is provided which results in many of the disadvantages already noted. Both King and De Giacomi require that the user must be wearing the disclosed device and customized eye wear to permit rear viewing. Also, the user must moue the head, even when such movement is awkward or dangerous, in order to achieve even a useful rear view.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,169, issued to Deal in 1994, a mirror is disclosed that does not require the use of a secondary accessory. This device does not take advantage of human ergonomic positioning in that Deal requires the device to be strapped onto the user's wrist. To obtain a rear view, a user must frequently moue the wrist into an awkward position to achieve the desired rear view. The awkwardness of these motions is due to the limitations of arm movement available to the normal user, and the relationship between those movements and the user's field of vision.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,239, issued to Malone in 1989, discloses the use of a mirrored glove. This device eliminates the danger of mirrors that incorporate a rod which may injure the eye and places the mirror in a more suitable position for easier viewing. However, since the device must be applied to a glove, activities which require gloves, such as biking, or other accessory equipment, such as wrist braces, cannot be used with Malone's device. Further, this device limits the ability to feel and adjust sensitive controls such as gears, helmet safety adjustments and the like, which require tactile sensitivity to use and gloves are not desirable.
Still another device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,407, issued to Whalen in 1994. This device incorporates a rear view mirror with a ski pole style device. While this approach provides a useful and easily negotiable rear view, it also eliminates the use of the hand (or hands) to tend to equipment or emergency stops. Also, as previously discussed inventions, the device is dependent on accessories beyond the mirror and its mounting apparatus, therefore making the invention unsuitable without an additional piece of equipment.
It is not disclosed or suggested in the prior art, a rear view apparatus that does not require the user to use additional pieces of equipment; that can be releasable attached to existing pieces of equipment, such as gloves, wrist braces, without damaging that equipment; that can be easily maneuvered to obtain a rear view; that does not prevent the user from using their hands to adjust equipment as needed in the course a given activity; does not interfere with the user from making an emergency stop or to prevent an accident; does not require the use of a potentially dangerous rod element as a means to mount the apparatus; is an ergonomical design so that a rear view can be achieved without the user having to make awkward movements.